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John

I read your book and was inspired by all you overcame. I’ve been in chronic pain for a decade due to a car accident. Do you endure pain today? How do you cope with it? —Dave C.

Hi, Dave. I appreciate your reading On Fire and am grateful it encouraged you. If you asked my family or friends they’d likely tell you I have no pain today. The truth is, like you, I deal with chronic pain. Here are three things I do to free myself from the pain (and the reminder of the event that caused it from so many years ago):

Get out of bed. I wake-up every morning in pain. Every muscles aches, the scars that cover my body tighten, my skin feels chapped and irritated. My first decision is to pop out of bed, get in the shower and breathe. I find the longer I lay in one spot, the more the echo chamber of my thoughts turn negative. But in simply getting going, beginning the day, I am able to take a massive step away from the pain.

Spend your time in the shower intentionally reflecting. As thewater pours over me, I strive to use those moments to call to mind all that I have received. You see, many characteristics that I am grateful to have today — compassion for others, passion for life, resolve, faithfulness, grit — were ignited in me years ago from the very thing that causes me residual physical pain. I use those pangs of pain, not to think of all I lost, but to give thanks for all that I gained.

Grow your joy. I’ve learned that whatever I am focused on grows. When I focus on my aching back or sore hands, the pain intensifies. In focusing instead on other people or on possibility within the day, that joy expands, too. This can be as simple as savoring the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the immeasurable beauty of a sunrise or the voice of your spouse.

In following these three steps, I no longer hear the bark of my pains, but instead am reminded of the remarkable rhythm of my life… and the fact that I am still part of it!

John answers one question on “how to live an inspired life” in his ASK JOHN post every Tuesday. Ask your questions in the comments or email:[email protected]

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